


I Will Hold on Hope

by Lucky107



Series: Strange Blood [5]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Blind Character, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-08 04:33:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8830573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucky107/pseuds/Lucky107
Summary: They're discussing business, as usual.





	

**Author's Note:**

> The Cave - Mumford & Sons - 2009

Elara wakes to find the barracks empty - cold - and she slides herself out from beneath the thin sheets in search of her day clothes.  Farkas always leaves her something hung over the back of the old chair, so she searches there first and isn't surprised when her fingertips ghost over cool fabric.

She smiles.

He knows all the places she visits routinely, so when they work in tandem it can be easy to forget that she's blind.  She dresses with ease and navigates her way through the barracks.  By now, Jorrvaskr has become her home.  She doesn't second-guess anymore, even when it comes to the stairs.

Upon reaching the mess hall, however, Elara hears voices and she hesitates.

It's Vilkas and Farkas.

They're discussing business, as usual - the morning routine rarely changes.  As soon as Farkas spots her, he lingers mid-sentence and inadvertently draws his brother's attention to her.  "Good morning."

"Any work today?"  Elara is unable to see the single paper in Vilkas' hand.

Farkas clears his throat loudly.  "We're discarding it."

"Discarding it?"  The Breton asks.  "Why?"

"It's nothing to worry about," Vilkas assures, but Elara flinches when he pats her shoulder as if she's a child.  Discarding a job without even making an effort simply isn't how the Companions operate.  "It's just Eorlund's son again."

The confusion contorts into frustration.  "Again?  What do you mean, again?  If it's Eorlund's son, we—"

"Look, Elara: Avulstein believes Thorald to be alive somewhere, but that's a fool's talk.  Thorald has been missing for nearly the season now and no one has heard a word.  If he were taken by the Thalmor, as the rumors suggest, then we might as well be chasing a shadow."

With this, Elara seems to recognize the severity of the situation.  Her frustration fades into a crestfallen lapse of silence.  "... Do they have a lead?"

"Avulstein seems to think they've taken Thorald to Northwatch Keep," Vilkas explains, completely unaware that he's feeding into Elara's plan.  Each detail builds onto the possibility of find Thorald - dead or alive.  "That's the other side of Skyrim from here, though—like I told you, it's a foolish request."

Had Vilkas just kept his mouth shut about the details and tossed the paper to burn, Elara may have lost hope in the matter.  Instead, she offers, "At least it's a start."

"What?"

"If there's a chance that Thorald's still alive, we have to try," she clarifies.  Through her milky white eyes, Vilkas can see the gears turning.  Even if she doesn't say it, he _knows_ she's going to find Thorald - one way or another.  "We can't just ignore this job, Vilkas.  That's a man's life you're willing to discard."

With a 'hmph', he asks, "And you will go alone?  We can't risk—"

"If I must," Elara says, her hand landing firmly on her hip.

Sometimes her heart gets the better of her mind; Farkas feels compelled to say _something_.  Gruffly, he adds, "I will accompany her as her shield-brother."

"Brother—" Vilkas begins, but he's stopped by Farkas' hand on his shoulder.  No further words are spoken because there's nothing more Vilkas can say; despite the risk, Farkas would follow Elara to Sovngarde, even if she would never ask him to.  Anything Vilkas says now will only fall on deaf ears.

Admittedly, it's been a long time since Vilkas has seen his brother even half as happy as he has been since Elara's arrival... so he forfeits his effort.  "—be safe, the both of you."


End file.
